The Pashtuns have historically dominated the government of Afghanistan and currently constitute half of the population.
Afghan means "Pashtun" and Afghanistan means "land of the Pashtuns"
Hazaras are of a much lower class than Pashtuns, tending to have unskilled labor occupations.
Genetic studies show that a quarter of all Hazaras are descendants of Ghengis Khan, confirming the belief that they were once Mongols.
The Hazara once controlled much more of Afghanistan. In the 1880s they revolted against the Pashtun Amir, Abdur Rahman Khan, and he destroyed them. He massacred thousands, enslaved thousands more, and punished the rest with high taxes.
Twenty years later the slavery was ended, but they remained lodged at the very bottom of the Afghan social ladder, despised by Pashtun, Tajik and Uzbek alike. As such they are free game for abuse, their women are not respected and they frequently are employed in jobs that resemble their former slavery.
VIOLENCE
The Hazara suffered under the rule of the Taliban.The Taliban had Hazarajat totally isolated from the rest of the world going as far as not allowing the United Nations to deliver food to the provinces.
During the years that followed, Hazaras suffered severe oppression and many large ethnic massacres and rapes were carried out by the predominately ethnic Pashtun Taliban. Particularly after their capture of Mazar-i Sharif in 1998, where after a massive killing of some 8000 civilians, the Taliban openly declared that the Hazaras would be targeted.
Mullah Niazi, the commander of the attack and governor of Mazar after the attack, similar to Abdur Rahman Khan over 100 years ago, declared the Shia Hazara as infidels:
"Hazaras are not Muslim, they are Shi’a. They are kofr [infidels]. The Hazaras killed our force here, and now we have to kill Hazaras… If you do not show your loyalty, we will burn your houses, and we will kill you. You either accept to be Muslims or leave Afghanistan… wherever you go we will catch you. If you go up, we will pull you down by your feet; if you hide below, we will pull you up by your hair."
The Hazara have only one friend in the world, the Persians. Because they speak a Persian dialect, and especially because they are Shiite, Persians resent it when Sunni murder them.
Hazara Progress
For most of the Afghan history, the Hazara have been the lower class, who had no opportunity to move up on the totem pole. In the mid-90s many Hazara's fled Afghanistan to other countries such as Pakistan and Iran. Now they are starting to move back ever since the American invasion, and they are now better than ever. Many families have moved to Kabul instead of their homeland since there is now some education opportunity there. Before only the Pashtun had the opportunity, but now the Hazara have the same opportunity. With the new generation of Hazara's attending school in a relative secure enviornment, along with their parents dispossession, the success of the Hazara could start to change. Although the Hazara continue to say impoverished, they believe education can help them be able to dictate their futures. Yet, the pashtuns continue to attempt to hold the Hazara back, but the destiny of the Hazara is inevitable. As the Hazara have suffered in harsh conditions for an enormous amount of time, they are starting to do better educationally than the Pashtuns. Two heavily dominated Hazara regions, Bamian and Daykondi have the countries highest passing rates on admissions to the countries top universities. In the high school graduating class of 2008, two-thirds of Bamian students passed, while three-fourths of Daykondi students passed, compared to the countries twenty two percent.
Hazara Setbacks
The biggest reason for the rough history of the Hazara is because of their minority status. Ever since the beginning of their existence they have continued to suffer from abuse over and over again. As time has gone on, the Hazaran's continue to get exiled from their society. For example, in the mid 1700s, they were forced out of Helmand and the Arkhandab basin of Kandahar. On top of their displacement, they have also been plagued with wars such as The Second Uprising which took place from 1890-1893. The cause of the uprising was the rape of a Hazara Chief's wife by thirty three Afghan soldiers. Originially, the soldiers claimed they were going into the house for weapons but decided to make an alternate decision by making the Chief watch his wife being raped. Of course the chief seeked vengeance as he killed every soldier, attacked a local garrison, and took back the weapons. A more recent setback comes from the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Even though they did not see as much fighting as other parts of Afghanistan, the war still halted progress due to the shutdown of schools during the fighting. Overall, the Hazara have suffered a lot, and will most likely have to overcome some paths in the future.
Pashtun Progress
The Pashtun have been the dominant ethnicity in Afghanistan, and with the dominance they have ruled the country for the past three hundred years. Their rule is so powerful that many say the key to the resolution for the American conflict in Afghanistan is in the hands of the Pashtuns. With the amount of control the Pashtuns have in Afghanistan, they have been able to dictate where people may reside. Also, the Pashtun have been the most educated ethnicity in Afghanistan. Nearly every Pashtun village has a school. By using their education, they have been developed as the higher class in Afghan society. On top of their education success, the Pashtun have used their large population to help themselves. Unlike the Hazara, the Pashtun have better jobs in as they make livings from animal husbandry, agriculture, and trade. Being involved in these fields are the best opportunity most Afghan people have. On the whole, the Pashtun make the most out of their enviornment.
Pashtun Setbacks
Just like everybody else in the Afghan society, the Pashtun have been greatly affected by war. For example, the Pashtun had a great setback with the Soviet invasion. Unlike the Hazara, the Pashtun were more involved in the fighting as they grew worldwide attention. In 1985, over half of the farmers who did not flee Afghanistan had their fields bombed, and over one quarter had their livestock shotdown by the Soviets. Also, an estimated 25,000 Afghans many whom were Pashtun were killed by land mines, and an estimated 10-15 million land mines were left scattared on the countryside of Afghanistan when the Soviets exited the country. The most recent example of a setback comes from when president Barack Obama announced he was going to deploy more troops into Afghanistan. When he was giving his speech, he announced he was going to add an additional 30,000 soldiers to focus on the Pashtun. So far, Obama and NATO forces have sent out several airstrikes against the Taliban who are mostly made of Pashtun. Unfortunately for the Pashtun, wars seem never ending for them as they continue to jump from war to war.
THE MAZARI SHARIF MASSACRE
Mazari Sharif, located in northwestern Afghanistan, is the fourth largest city of its country. On August 8, 1998, the Taliban malitia forces took over the city and caused one of the greatest atrocities of its day. By the time the Taliban took control over Mazari Sharif, it was in control of almost every other major city in Afghanistan. In just few hours of being in the city, the Taliban managed to kill a great number of civilians, shot suspected combatants and also, noncombatants.
It was said that the Taliban "killed anything that moved" and called the situation a "killing frenzy". The Taliban carried out a search for male members of Hazara, Tajik and Uzbek communities. The Talibans main goal was to wipe out the Hazaras due to their religious identity. The Taliban held house to house searches, in which they completely slaughtered bodies of men and boys of the Hazara. Along with those men and boys, the Taliban killed eight Iranian officials and an Iranian journalist.
The Hazaras were the main target because they are Shi'a while the Taliban are Sunni Muslims. The Sunni Muslims are much more strict than the Shi'a and therefore consider the Shi'a very much unworthy. In order to distinguish between the religions, the Taliban forced some residents to recite Sunni prayers to prove that they are not Hazaras. The Hazaras were threatened that if they did not because Sunnis, they would have to leave Afghanistan, or risk being killed.
According to interviews and sources, Human Rights Watch believes that 2,000 men were killed in city at the least. Also, many people were killed while trying to flee from the city due to rocket attacks. Many women and girls were raped and abducted by the Taliban in Hazara neighborhoods in the city.
Class Separation in Afghanistan
Tory Husband, Rob Maher, Kim NarunskyPASHTUNS AND HAZARAS
- Pashtun - Sunni Muslim, Hazara - Shiite Muslim
- The Pashtuns have historically dominated the government of Afghanistan and currently constitute half of the population.
- Afghan means "Pashtun" and Afghanistan means "land of the Pashtuns"
- Hazaras are of a much lower class than Pashtuns, tending to have unskilled labor occupations.
- Genetic studies show that a quarter of all Hazaras are descendants of Ghengis Khan, confirming the belief that they were once Mongols.
- The Hazara once controlled much more of Afghanistan. In the 1880s they revolted against the Pashtun Amir, Abdur Rahman Khan, and he destroyed them. He massacred thousands, enslaved thousands more, and punished the rest with high taxes.
- Twenty years later the slavery was ended, but they remained lodged at the very bottom of the Afghan social ladder, despised by Pashtun, Tajik and Uzbek alike. As such they are free game for abuse, their women are not respected and they frequently are employed in jobs that resemble their former slavery.
VIOLENCEHazara Progress
For most of the Afghan history, the Hazara have been the lower class, who had no opportunity to move up on the totem pole. In the mid-90s many Hazara's fled Afghanistan to other countries such as Pakistan and Iran. Now they are starting to move back ever since the American invasion, and th
Hazara Setbacks
The biggest reason for the rough history of the Hazara is because of their minority status. Ever since the beginning of their existence they have continued to suffer from abuse over and over again. As time has gone on, the Hazaran's continue to get exiled from their society. For example, in the mid 1700s, they were forced out of Helmand and the Arkhandab basin of Kandahar. On top of their displacement, they have also been plagued with wars such as The Second Uprising which took place from 1890-1893. The cause of the uprising was the rape of a Hazara Chief's wife by thirty three Afghan soldiers. Originially, the soldiers claimed they were going into the house for weapons but decided to make an alternate decision by making the Chief watch his wife being raped. Of course the chief seeked vengeance as he killed every soldier, attacked a local garrison, and took back the weapons. A more recent setback comes from the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Even though they did not see as much fighting as other parts of Afghanistan, the war still halted progress due to the shutdown of schools during the fighting. Overall, the Hazara have suffered a lot, and will most likely have to overcome some paths in the future.
Pashtun Progress
The Pashtun have been the dominant ethnicity in Afghanistan, and with the dominance they have ruled the country for the past three hundred years. Their rule is so powerful that many say the key to the resolution for the American conflict in Afghanistan is in the hands of the Pashtuns. With the amount of control the Pashtuns have in Afghanistan, they have been able to dictate where people may reside. Also, the Pashtun have been the most educated ethnicity in Afghanistan. Nearly every Pashtun village has a school. By using their education, they have been developed as the higher class in Afghan society. On top of their education success, the Pashtun have used their large population to help themselves. Unlike the Hazara, the Pashtun have better jobs in as they make livings from animal husbandry, agriculture, and trade. Being involved in these fields are the best opportunity most Afghan people have. On the whole, the Pashtun make the most out of their enviornment.
Pashtun Setbacks
Just like everybody else in the Afghan society, the Pashtun have been greatly affected by war. For example, the Pashtun had a great setback with the Soviet invasion. Unlike the Hazara, the Pashtun were more involved in the fighting as they grew worldwide attention. In 1985, over half of the farmers who did not flee Afghanistan had their fields bombed, and over one quarter had their livestock shotdown by the Soviets. Also, an estimated 25,000 Afghans many whom were Pashtun were killed by land mines, and an estimated 10-15 million land mines were left scattared on the countryside of Afghanistan when the Soviets exited the country. The most recent example of a setback comes from when president Barack Obama announced he was going to deploy more troops into Afghanistan. When he was giving his speech, he announced he was going to add an additional 30,000 soldiers to focus on the Pashtun. So far, Obama and NATO forces have sent out several airstrikes against the Taliban who are mostly made of Pashtun. Unfortunately for the Pashtun, wars seem never ending for them as they continue to jump from war to war.
THE MAZARI SHARIF MASSACRE
Mazari Sharif, located in northwestern Afghanistan, is the fourth largest city of its country. On August 8, 1998, the Taliban malitia forces took over the city and caused one of the greatest atrocities of its day. By the time the Taliban took control over Mazari Sharif, it was in control of almost every other major city in Afghanistan. In just few hours of being in the city, the Taliban managed to kill a great number of civilians, shot suspected combatants and also, noncombatants.
It was said that the Taliban "killed anything that moved" and called the situation a "killing frenzy". The Taliban carried out a search for male members of Hazara, Tajik and Uzbek communities. The Talibans main goal was to wipe out the Hazaras due to their religious identity. The Taliban held house to house searches, in which they completely slaughtered bodies of men and boys of the Hazara. Along with those men and boys, the Taliban killed eight Iranian officials and an Iranian journalist.
The Hazaras were the main target because they are Shi'a while the Taliban are Sunni Muslims. The Sunni Muslims are much more strict than the Shi'a and therefore consider the Shi'a very much unworthy. In order to distinguish between the religions, the Taliban forced some residents to recite Sunni prayers to prove that they are not Hazaras. The Hazaras were threatened that if they did not because Sunnis, they would have to leave Afghanistan, or risk being killed.
According to interviews and sources, Human Rights Watch believes that 2,000 men were killed in city at the least. Also, many people were killed while trying to flee from the city due to rocket attacks. Many women and girls were raped and abducted by the Taliban in Hazara neighborhoods in the city.
http://www.warlordsofafghanistan.com/hazara.php
http://ncowie.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/hazara-hdr1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://ncowie.wordpress.com/2008/05/10/the-3Fq%3Dhazara%26hl%3Den%26um%3D1
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/19/world/rights-group-tells-of-taliban-massacres.html
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/12/01/new-u-s-strategy-in-afghanistan-war-with-the-pashtun/